CHAPTER 18

(1000 B.C.)

FOOLISH AND WISE WORDS

¹Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeks and intermeddles with all wisdom. (Multiple tens of millions the world over separate themselves and seek to learn the wisdom of the ages without the Bible. Such presents itself as a fruitless exercise.)

²A fool has no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself. (The fool of this Proverb is the one who constantly tries to find himself. Proper understanding of ones self can only be found in the Bible.)

³When the wicked comes, then comes also contempt, and with ignominy reproach. (The less one values the Bible, the less contempt one will have for the way of the wicked.)

⁴The words of a mans mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook. (The worldly wisdom of man is like a brackish pool that quickly dries up; however, for the man who knows and understands the Bible, his mouth will be as deep waters.)

⁵It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment. (The only correct judgment in the world is that which comes from the righteous. Mostly, and with great loss, they are ignored.)

⁶A fools lips enter into contention, and his mouth calls for strokes.

⁷A fools mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul. (Spiritually, the fool is the one who does not know the Bible; because of his lack of true knowledge, he will quickly find trouble. His mouth will guarantee his destruction.)

⁸The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. (A talebearer in this Passage is likened to a slanderer. His words are as morsels that go down into the heart of the listener and cause wounds.)

⁹He also who is slothful in his work is brother to him who is a great waster. (The great waster is one who does not properly care for that which is entrusted to him.)

¹⁰The Name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runs into it, and is safe. (The correct spiritual posture for the Christian is to fear Satan and in no way attempt to face him in ones own strength, but, instead, quickly run to Christ. Only there is one guaranteed safety.)

¹¹The rich mans wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit. (Verse 11 contrasts with Verse 10. Verse 10 is fact and Verse 11 is fiction. Only the one who runs to the Lord will be safe. The one who runs to riches does so out of his own conceit, and ultimately comes to destruction.)

¹²Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility. (The spirit of the world is pride and haughtiness. It ultimately leads to destruction. The Spirit of Christ is humility; it ultimately leads to honor.)

¹³He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame unto him. (The Holy Spirit is telling us here that no man, at least within himself, can be so brilliant or intelligent that he can make the proper decision before hearing all the matter!)

¹⁴The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear? (The world, and even the Church, are full of man-made solutions to the wounded spirit. Faith in Christ and His Atoning Work is the only answer [Gal. 5:4].)

¹⁵The heart of the prudent gets knowledge; and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge. (The only true knowledge of life is the Bible.)

¹⁶A mans gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men. (The idea the Holy Spirit imposes is that the individual is there, not because of himself, but due to his gift. The possessor of such must never forget that the Giver of this Gift is God.)

¹⁷He who is first in his own cause seems just; but his neighbour comes and searches him. (The Holy Spirit is telling us that we should not jump to conclusions upon hearing the first witness.)

¹⁸The lot causes contentions to cease, and parts between the mighty. (The lot has to do with the Old Testament Urim and Thummim. They were used to divine the Will of the Lord in specific matters.

This tells us that we must seek Gods Will in all matters, for He Alone holds the solution.)

¹⁹A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. (The word offended should have been translated injured.)

²⁰A mans belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth; and with the increase of his lips shall he be filled. (If the fruit of the mouth and the increase of the lips be Heavenly, then there is inward contentment; if not, then there is inward desolation.)

²¹Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they who love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (Christians who constantly talk doubt, in effect, talk death. Those who speak the Word of God speak life.)

²²Whoso finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains favour of the LORD. (This Passage tells us that celibacy for Believers is not required, and marriage is honorable in all [Heb. 13:4].)

²³The poor uses intreaties, but the rich answers roughly. (Sadly, this Proverb has been true for all time. The poor and needy cry to the rich for the necessities of life, but all too often they are answered roughly. One day Jesus is coming back, and then these terrible wrongs will be made right!)

²⁴A man who has friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. (The greatest Friend of all is the Lord Jesus Christ. He will never leave you nor forsake you [Heb. 13:5].)